Electrode holder



DSC w E947 w. A. TERNEs 2,432,836

ELECTRODE HOLDER Filed March 25, 1944 Aon "` U" INVENTOR.

mZZz'dm- 757,75. BY

HrI'aH/YEYS,

Patented Dec. 16, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRODE HOLDERWilliam A. Temes, Detroit, Mich.

Application March 23, 1944, Serial No. 527,759

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to electrode holders of the type embodyingswitch mechanism to control the connection between the jaws of theholder and the source of current supply, and may be particularlycharacterized as constructed and arranged to insure that thejust-mentioned switch mechanism is opened before the jaws are actuatedto release the welding rod.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide aconstruction of the above type, which is simple in construction, may bereadily and economically manufactured, and which is reliable vinoperation; to provide a construction comprising generally a jaw assemblyto releasably retain a welding rod, a handle for manipulating the jawassembly, and control elements adjacent the handle for controlling thejaws and for controlling the connection of the holder to the source ofsupply, the control elements being so arranged as to insure that theswitch mechanism is brought to an open condition before the jaws areactuated to release the welding rod; to provide such an arrangementwherein the control elements are accessible to the hand of the operatorwhich carries the holder, but wherein, in grasping the jaw controlelement,the operator is required to release the switch control element;and to generally improve and simplify the construction and arrangementof electrode holders.

With the above as well as other and more deitailed objects in viewwhichappear in the following description and in the appended claim, preferredbut illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in theaccompanying drawing, throughout the several views of whichcorresponding reference characters are used to designate correspondingparts and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly in longitudinal section, ofone embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View of a modification of the invention; and

Fig, 5 is a fragmentary View of a further modication.

Referring lirst to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the holder is illustrated ascomprising, generally, a pair of blade-like jaws IB and I2, which may,as will be understood, be formed of conductive material havingspring-like characteristics. At its inner end I2a, the jaw I2 is rigidlysecured to the jaw IIJ, by a nut 24 which is threaded onto jaws I0 andI2 and forcibly holds them together. The rear end of jaw I2 and thecorresponding portion of jaw I0 are substantially semicircular, and whenplaced together, define a circular, externally threaded shankuto receivethe nut 2d. In assembly, the jaws IU and I2 are passed through anaperture IG provided therefor in a usual guard plate I8, and whichaperture is larger than the just-mentionednshank. The jaws Il) and I2are widened immediately adjacent the guard I8, as is indicated at 20, soas to define shoulders 22, which abut the outer face of the guard. Theguard I8 is held against the just-mentioned shoulders by the previouslymentioned nut 2li. The inner face of the nut 24 abuts the correspondingface of the guard I8 and maintains the jaws and guard in rigidlyassembled relation to each other. The nut 214 also affords amounting foryay usual tubular handle 25, which, like the guard i8, may be andpreferably lis formed of insulating material. The handle 25 is securedto the nut 24 by means of a usual set screw, land preferably and asshown, a rubber sleeve 28 is -tted over handle 26 to conceal the setscrew. n y

In accordance with conventional practice, the outwardly projectingportions of the jaws y Iii and I2 may be and preferably are providedwith overlying strips of insulation 35i, which may be secured thereto inany suitable manner.

It will be understood that the spring-like character of the jaws ill andI2 normally biases them to a position in which they are effective togrip the welding rod between them, the inner faces of the jaws beingprovided with variously arranged rod receiving grooves 32.

4vI n order to forcibly separate the jaws, a cam 3d is introducedtherebetween. This vcam is constituted by the inwardly turned lugs 3S ofan adjusting member 38, the rectangular aperture in which accommodatesthe jaw I2 and its insulator 3B, and which member 38 is slipped over thejaw I2 before the latter is secured to the jaw It. The upper end of themember 38 is bent at an angle so that it extends rearwardly toward thehandle 25 and is provided with an extended, enclosing grip 40, which maybe and preferably is formed of insulating material. The lower andbox-like portion of the adjusting` member 38 is also preferably providedwith an enclosing sheath ft2, preferably formed of insulating material.

As thus far described, it will be appreciated that the electrode holderis of generally conventional construction. The handle 2S is adapted tobe conventionally grasped within a hand of the operator and, while thehandle 2t is so grasped 3 with the under surface of the handle 26resting against the fingers of the operator, the operators thumb may bepassed over the adjusting lever 49. By applying pressure between histhumb and fingers, the operator is enabled to draw the lever 48 towardthe handle 26, thereby rocking the cam 84 and forcing the outer ends ofthe jaws apart. Conversely, the handle 2G may be rested between thethumb and palm of the operator, enabling the fingers to be extended overand operate the lever 40.

In accordance with the present invention, it is proposed to provide theelectrode holder with switch mechanism for controlling the connectionbetween the jaws I and I2 and the source of power, illustrated as ausual welding cable 58. As shown, this switch mechanism is carried bythe handle 26 and while, in the more generic aspects of the invention,this switch mechanism may comprise a pilot switch which serves tocontrol a remotely located main switch, it is preferred, as shown, tohave this handle mounted switch mechanism directly control theconnection between the jaws and the source of power. As shown, thehandle 26 is provided with a movable switch blade 52, pivotally mountedtherein by means of a pin 54, which is journalled in the respectivelyopposite side walls of the handle 26. A compression spring 56, seatedbetween the blade 52 and the wall of the handle, serves to continuouslybias the blade 52 to a position in which it is out of engagement withthe extended inner end of the lower jaw I9. Spring 56 is held in placeby means of projections 58 and 6I, over which the spring is fitted. Therear end of the switch blade is rigidly but separably connected to theinner end, 50a of the cable by means of set screws 58.

The switch blade 52 is provided with an operating nn 59, which may beand preferably is formed of insulating material, and the upper edge ofwhich projects outwardly of the handle 26 through a slot 6U providedtherein. The parts are shown in the closed circuit position, in whichthe blade 52 conductively engages the jaw I8 and in which the fin 59projects outwardly of the slot 68 to only a relatively slight extent. Ifdesired, and as shown, alight spring 63 may be interposed between thehandle 26 and jaw I0 to bias the latter in rm engagement with blade 52,although, in practice, the inherent resilience of jaws I 9 and I2 issuicient for this purpose.

It will be noticed that the handle 26, n 59 and lever 48 are nsubstantial vertical alignment with each other and that when theoperator grasps the handle 26, as aforesaid, he naturally appliessuiiicient pressure to the iin 59, through the palm or fingers of hishand, to hold itin the closed circuit position against the opposingforce of the spring 56. If he releases the pressure of his hand againstthe n 59, however, spring 56 becomes effective to swing the blade 52 ina clockwise direction, to a position in which its inner end is separatedfrom the jaw I0. This swinging movement involves some relative movementbetween the cable 59 and the electrode holder, as a whole, whichrelative movement is, however, readily permitted by the relativelyflexible character of the cable 59. It

will be understood, also, that this release of the switch blade 52 doesnot usually take place until the operator has lifted the welding rodaway from the work, which latter action interrupts the ow of currentthrough the unit. In usual practice, therefore, the separating movementof the blade 52 does not involve the drawing of an arc.

In view of the fact that the iin 59 lies between the lever 48 and thehandle 26, it will be appreciated that the operator cannot adjust hishand in such a way as to enable him to grasp the lever 40 and separatethe jaws I0 and I2 without rst relieving the pressure of his hand on then 59. Any attempt on the part of the operator, therefore, to grasp thelever 40 relieves the pressure on the switch blade 52 and results in anopening movement of the latter. This feature makes it impossible for theoperator to attempt to adjust or replace his welding rods without firstdisconnecting the electrode holder from the source.

In the modified embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the arrangement is the samewith the exception that in this case the switch blade 7U, shown in thenormal open-circuit position, is pivoted to the guard I8 by means of abracket l2 secured to the latter and a cooperating pivot pin 74. In thiscase, also, the biasing spring 16 acts between the switch blade 79 andthe handle 26 and serves to continuously bias the latter to an openposition.

A further modification is fragmentarily shown in Fig. 5 and may becharacterized in that the cable 89 is electrically connected to a switchelement 82, which is rigidly secured within the handle 26. Thecooperating xed element 84 is secured to the jaw assembly. Elements 82and 84 are adapted to be bridged by a member 86, which is secured to anoperating member 88 formed of insulating material. Member 88 is pivotedat 98 to the insulating handle 26 and is yieldingly biased to the openposition by means of a spring 92. In all other structural respects, andin operation, it is believed to be apparent that this embodiment may beand preferably is the same as the previously described embodiments.

Although only several specific embodiments of the invention have beendescribed in detail, it will be appreciated that various furthermodifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:

In an electrode holder, the combination of a jaw assembly embodyingelements to releasably retain welding material1 a handle by which thejaw assembly may be manipulated, switch mechanism for controlling theconnection between the jaws and a source of power and including a switchoperator for actuating said mechanism between circuit-interrupting andmaking positions, an operator for controlling said jaw elements, eachsaid operator being actuable independently of the position of the otherand both said operators being actuable by a hand of a user while thehandle is supported by such hand, said operators being so positionedrelative to each other that the user cannot so actuate one said operatorwithout releasing the other operator.

WILLIAM A. TERNES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

